Prayers for Healthy Kids; Prayers for a Healthy Nation

Nothing like a long hospital stay for you to realize what a blessing it is just to be out of the hospital. Last June 30, 2005, was one year since we left St. Luke's for Ali's Kawasaki episode. I remembered the day with gratitude for good health -- especially now that Ali is busy with preschool.

I also remember that June 30, 2004 was the date of PGMA's inaugural. In the last year, my 3-year old daughter Ali has grown, gotten healthier, and continues to bring us such joy. As for the country and its leadership... well, the economy has yet to grow sustainably, Filipinos are getting more stressed out and we still try to smile despite all the unwelcome things happening around us.

It is when things are uncertain that it is best to rely on one sure thing -- the power of prayer. Prayers sustained us during our 2 weeks in the hospital last year, it will sustain us through the years when the quality of national leadership may be wanting. This stage in our life as a nation is just a call, to us, to remember, that it is not enough to rely on our ways and human understanding. We must all search ourselves and ask ourselves: "What is it that God wants from each of us?" While on the subject of prayer, have you even bothered to say a prayer for the Philippines, for President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, and for all the other leaders whom you may love to hate? We cannot change the way they do things on our own. We need divine help and we need it now.

So, may I request each well-meaning Filipino, in the country or outside of it, Pinoys wanting Gloria to resign or not, please include the Philippines and its leaders in your regular daily prayer time. The situation may seem hopeless when seen through human eyes -- but trust the Lord and ask for guidance -- and you will see that you will not be as frustrated, or as angry, or as agitated.

As for healthy kids, we again take this opportunity to thank everyone who said a prayer for Ali and our family upon learning about Ali's Kawasaki last year. We can never thank you enough. So, on our part, we invite parents (particularly Filipinos here and elsewhere) to send us your prayer requests for kids who may be sick at the moment and whom you would want to get back to perfect health. Other people have prayed for us for good health, we want to do the same thing for other people.

Please send us a message throught this website. Please give us the name of your child, his or her age, and what you want him or her to be healed from. We shall then offer a prayer for your child. For Kawasaki cases, we would be interested to know more about your case -- like how your child is doing, what sort of treatment he or she received, and when he or she contracted Kawasaki. We are interested to see some numbers on the frequency of the disease (particularly, within the country), how widespread it is, and whether there is some seasonality to it.

So, as former President Cory Aquino said: "Let us pray for each other." Here's to healthy families. Here's to a healthy nation. God bless.